NCN 524 Nuneaton / Tamworth - we have a route

I went out with Sustrans area manager Ed Healey yesterday and we rode the proposed route for NCN 524 from Nuneaton to Tamworth and its looking good. The proposed route is here http://ridewithgps.com/routes/818820.

It took us a while to figure out the best way out of Nuneaton station but in the end we settled on the south of the ringway heading clockwise. Marginally long than the anticlockwise route, but cycle paths and crossings are good and there are plenty of places to hang signs.

Once off the ring road, the minor roads worked pretty well. A little disappointing that the bridge where we cross NCN52 does not have good access to the towpath (quite a few steps). However there are reasonable links to the next bridge where access is better. Whittleford Park (pictured) worked OK although surface was not great in places and we still have to find the best exit place from the park near Bucks Hill. Places to stick signs also look a little limited.

Once on the North Warwickshire cycle way its all pretty straightforward although we are planning to deviate from it for a short while as we think we have found a better route. After the bridleway at the end of Ridge Lane we propose to take the first left which gets us off the fast B4116 Coleshill Road sooner. We rejoin the North Warwickshire cycleway just west of Baxterley.

From here the route through Wood End is fine (a bit hilly) and the lanes through Whateley are very pretty. Once we are in Tamworth its cycle paths all the way - all with good road crossings. We choose a route to the west through Dosthill, the river and along Peelers Way. This seems to give a good balance of speed, ease of signing and safety.

So there are a few details left to iron out. Ed needs to get sign on from the councils. We then need to to a detailed signing survey (what signs do we need, where can we stick them?) before finding some willing volunteers to do the signing.